Power strips and surge protectors are similar; however, power strips don’t provide the protective benefits of a surge protector. Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Cooperative (MTEMC) urges its members and all electric consumers to use the device that’s best suited for their needs.

Power strips and surge protectors have similarities. But they don’t offer the same levels of protection from over-voltage events linked to lightning strikes, power quality anomalies and inside-the-home spikes associated with wiring or appliance malfunctions.

The proliferation of electronics has impacted our daily lives. Sometimes we realize there simply are not enough power outlets in our homes. This is particularly true of older homes. As a result, we turn to “outlet expanders,” more commonly known as power strips.

Power strips are generic and fulfill a very simple function. They are inexpensive, and the quality is typically on par with the price. Keeping this in mind, let’s look at factors to consider when deciding to purchase a power strip or its more beneficial cousin — the surge protector.

Purchasing a power strip

Look for power strips with a built-in circuit breaker. If you connect too many electronics and devices, the strip will kick out its internal circuit breaker rather than cause the breaker in your electric panel to trip.

Pay attention to the orientation of the outlets. The typical design is along the length of the strip, facing the bottom or end of the strip. MTEMC recommends power strips with the outlets perpendicular to the length of the strip.

Get a smart strip. These are becoming more common and less expensive. With smart strips, one outlet serves as a master receiving power all the time. The other outlets do not receive power until the master device is turned on, which is ideal for home entertainment setups.

Important safety tip: Make sure you know the amperage rating of the outlet into which you are connecting the strip and other equipment. A residential circuit can overload if you are not careful.

If you are connecting expensive electronics, you may want to consider a surge protector. Price is even more important with these devices; a cheap surge protector can be worse than none at all for two reasons. First, the device might not contain robust surge-fighting components. Second, the components can fail but the strip still will continue to provide power without any indication that its protective side is gone.

Purchasing a surge protector

Like power strips, there are some key benefits to consider when buying a surge protector:

Go for a significant joule rating, which is a measure of how much energy the power strip can withstand.

Do you need cable and internet connection protection? You may want to consider this for your entertainment and computing electronics because surges can enter via any wired connection. Be sure the protector is designed to handle a digital television. Otherwise, it can cause pixelation if it’s only designed for analog signals.

Ensure the device has an indicator light that shows if protection has burned out.

It should have the same outlet orientation as previously mentioned.

Consider a surge protector with a power conditioning feature (for PCs, this is a nice-to-have option but not a necessity).

Your choice of surge protector should have the smart capability mentioned above.

Power strips and surge protectors are worth the investment when you follow these simple suggestions. Don’t get “burned” by purchasing cheap, inefficient strips and protectors. The safety of you and your family comes first.

Members of the editorial and news staff of the USA TODAY Network were not involved in the creation of this content.